Liquid discharge apparatus



J n 12, 1956 J. K. BLANCHARD ET AL 2,750,080

LIQUID DISCHARGE APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 8, 1954 Egg I INVENTORS Jilmes K. Blanchard,

Jbseph E. Wood.

ATTORNEY Jun 12, 1956 J. K. BLANCHARD ET AL 2,750,080

LIQUID nzscmmcz APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 8, 1954 INVENTORS Janzes K. Blanchard Joseph E. Wood BY My? ATTORNEY n 2, 1956 J. K. BLANCHARD ET AL 2,750,030

LIQUID DISCHARGE APPARATUS Filed Jan. 8, 1954 Z: Sheets-Sheet 3 1 FbciJ P 0 2e 21 Q 23 9 l I chi 61 F5? INVENTORS James KBlamc/rqrcb JasephE. Wood.

ATTORNEY United States Patent LIQUID DISCHARGE APPARATUS James K. Blanchard and Joseph E. Wood, Wallace, N. C., assignors to Carter Insecticide & Chemical Co., Inc, Wallace, N. C., a corporation of North Carolina Application January 8, 1954, Serial No. 402,915

6 Claims. (Cl. 222-155) This invention relates to liquid discharge apparatus and is more particularly concerned with apparatus adapted to be connected to a hermetically sealed liquid container for discharging the contents thereof at a constant rate of flow.

An important use of the present invention is in the field of agriculture where it is desired to apply liquids, such as liquid fertilizers, soil furnigants, insecticides, fungicides, and other parasiticides, from a moving vehicle to the soil in a uniform manner. Many chemicals used for these purposes are highly corrosive and they are supplied in hermetically sealed drums by the manufacturer. One of the objects of this invention is the provision of means for dispensing the liquid directly from the drum to the soil in a uniform manner without danger of the liquid leaking or splashing out of the drum or otherwise coming in con tact with corrodable parts of the tractor or other vehicle, or with persons using it.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such an apparatus which will give a positive control to the flow of the liquid, notwithstanding the fact that the liquid level in the container constantly changes.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means for discharging the liquid in a plurality of streams, the rate of flow of each stream being positively regulated independently of the others.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of such an apparatus containing means for refilling the container without removing the apparatus from the container.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following description considered together with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention operatively connected to a container mounted on a supporting bracket of a vehicle.

Fig. 2 i a side elevational view, partly broken away, of the same embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a relatively enlarged cross-sectional view of the screen and orifice section.

Fig. 4 is a relatively enlarged, partially exploded, perspective view of the screen and orifice insert portions.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view along the line 55 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of a manifold member for use in discharging a plurality of streams.

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view, partly broken away, of a modified and preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring with more particularity to the drawing in which like numerals designate like parts, the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 5 is illustrated in connection with a steel or other metal drum 11. Drums of this type are conventionally used to transport liquid material, such as soil fumigants, of which ethyl bromide, a highly corrosive liquid, is an example, liquid fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides, and other parasiticides. These drum containers are ice provided with threaded discharge outlets 12 on one side plugged with a removable cap (not shown).

The apparatus of this invention comprises a tubular conduit one end of which is connected to the discharge opening of the drum, after the cap is removed, by a nipple 13. The other end of the nipple is connected to the center section 14 of a T-coupler 15 which forms a part of the conduit. The straight section of the T-coupler 15 is vertically disposed and the upper end 16 is connected to a vertically disposed refill pipe 17 which extends upwardly to a point above the top of the drum 11.

The upper end of the pipe 17 is provided with a cupshaped or flared end 18 which has a removable threaded cap 19.

The lower end 20 of the coupler 15 is connected to a right angle elbow 21 which is, in turn, connected to one end 22 of an inverted T-coupler 23 by a nipple 24.

The other end 25 of the T-coupler 23 is connected by anipple 26 to the center flange section 27 of another T- coupler 28. The straight portion of the latter is vertically disposed and the lower end 29 thereof is connected by a nipple 30 to one side of a stop cock 31.

The upper side 32 of the coupler 28 is connected to an air or breather tube 33 by means of a nipple 34 held in a reducer fitting 35. The tube 33 extends upwardly above the top of the tank 11 and is held in this position by means hereinafter explained.

The center flange section 36 of the T-coupler 23 is disposed on top and is connected to a transparent plastic tube 37 by means of a nipple 38 held in a reducer fitting 39. The tube 37 also extends upwardly to a point above the drum 11, and thence to the other end of the drum where it is connected to a nipple 40 (Fig. 5). The nipple 40 is held in a fitting 41, hereinafter more fully described, which has a sharp tubular end adapted to be forced through the wall of the drum.

The portion of the transparent tube 37 which extends vertically from the nipple 38 comprises the gauge of the device to indicate the level of liquid in the tank at any time, and a graduated scale 42 on a vertical rod 43 is disposed alongside this straight portion. The rod 43 is held in position by means of a series of vertically spaced bands or rings 44 which encircle the tube and are welded, brazed or otherwise attached to the rod 43 in the spaced relation, substantially as shown. If desired, the position of the liquid level in the tube 37 relative to the bands 44 may be used to gauge the amount of liquid in the drum in conjunction with or in substitution of the scale 42.

The uppermost band 44 is secured to a similar oiiset band 45 which encircles the air tube 33 and hence acts as a support therefor.

The lower side of the stop cock 31 is connected to a screen orifice section 46 which comprises a tubular section 47 (Figs. 2 and 3), the upper end of which is threadedly connected to the stop cock 31. Against the lower end of the section 47 there is disposed the lower flanged end 48 of a screen or filter device, hereinafter more fully described, and against the flanged end 48 there is disposed a disc member 49 having a calibrated orifice 50. Against the disc member 49 the flanged portion 51 of a hose nipple 52 is disposed. The flanged end 48, disc 49 and flanged portion 51 are held together against the bottom end of the tubular section 47 by means of a coupling nut 53.

The screen or filter device (Figs. 4 and 5) comprises a hollow cylindrical portion 54 integral with the flanged end 48 and projecting upwardly thereof coaxially with the tubular section 47. The portion 54 is surrounded by a cylindrical screen 55 the diameter of which is less than the inside. diameter of the section 47 to leave an annular space 56. The lower end of the screen 55 rests on the flanged end 48 and the upper end is seated under a circular cap 57 screwed into position by a threaded shank 58 engaging threads 59 of the cylinder 54.

The cylindrical part is provided with a plurality of slots 60 for the passage of liquid from the screen to the interior of the cylinder. The liquid thence flows through the calibrated orifice 50 into a discharge hose 61 connected to the nipple S2.

The nipple 40 (Fig. is attached to the upper end of the fitting 41 by means of a coupling nut 62. The other end of the fitting is connected toan elongated rigid pipe 63, the lower end 64 of which is tapered to a circular cutting edge. The pipe 63 is provided with exterior threads 65 which threadedly engage a circular disc 66. The lower end of the pipe 63 is recessed to provide an annular downwardly facing shoulder 67 for one end of a cylindrical rubber or plastic washer 68. The other end of the Washer projects outwardly along the pipe 63 for contact with the exterior surface of the drum 11.

The disc 66 is connected to a band 69 which encircles the drum, as shown in Fig. 1. The band may be of a fixed size, as shown, to fit a drum of a given circumference, or it may be provided with an adjustable clamp (not shown) for changing the size to fit drums of different circumferences.

The end 64 of the pipe 63 is inserted through the wall of the drum by placing the band 69 in position around the drum, as shown in Fig. l, and turning the pipe relative to the disc 66 to advance the pipe end toward the drum. This turning is facilitated by the provision of wings 70 used as finger grips. The turning is continued until the end of the pipe cuts a small hole in the drum and enters it, and compresses the cylindrical washer 68 to effect an airtight seal between the drum and the pipe.

In actual operation, the drum with the apparatus con- 'nected to it, as explained above, is attached to a bracket 71 or other suitable support of a tractor 72 or other suitable vehicle or implement. A calibrated orifice disc 50 is selected to give the desired rate of How. This may be selected in reference to the speed of the vehicle or any other factors involved in the particular application to be performed. Upon opening of the stop cock 31, liquid fiows from the drum through the sections comprising the tubular conduit, and thence through the calibrated orifice 50. As the liquid level in the drum falls, air is drawn in through the air tube 33, thereby maintaining a substantially uniform air pressure on the interior of the drum. However, the flow of air into the drum by means of this arrangement, does not pass through the calibrated orifice 50 and hence does not interfere with the flow of liquid therethrough. Since the stop cock 31 is turned to its fully opened position, there is also no throttling action at that point which could affect the flow of the liquid. Also, there will be an unbroken column of liquid between the orifice and the T-coupler 28, substantially undisturbed by the counterflow of air above. solid head of liquid for a substantial distance above the orifice is presented.

Since the top of the guage tube is communicated with the interior of the drum at the top, the pressure on top of the column of liquid in the guage tube 37 will be the same as the pressure on top of the liquid in the tank. Hence, the gauge will give a true indication of the level of the liquid in the tank when the stop cock 31 is closed.

The tank is refillable, simply by removing the cap 19 and pouring a fresh supply of liquid into the standpipe 17, displacement air being forced out through the nippic 46 after the tube is temporarily disconnected therefrom for that purpose.

By this arrangement, not only is an accurate rate of flow effected of liquid from the tank, but the danger of liquid escaping accidentally is reduced to a minimum. The screen filter is important for the purpose of preventing foreign objects, like scaling, undissolved matter in the liquid, etc., falling on the orifice disc and restricting the orifice. Such restriction would render the device ineffec- Hence, a

tive to the purpose for which it is intended to be used.

The apparatus described above is for use with a single outlet tube. It is frequently desired to employ a plurality of outlet tubes. In such cases, the orifice screen assembly is removed from the position described above, and the outlet tube 61 is substituted by a tube 73 connected to an outlet manifold 74, as shown in Fig. 6. The manifold 74 is provided with a plurality of outlet members 75, similar to the member 46, containing each a similar orifice screen assembly. The outlet tubes 76 are connected to the members in a similar manner with coupling nuts 77.

The modified embodiment shown in Fig. 7 comprises placing a stop cock 7% between the T-couplers 28 and 23 in addition to or in substitution of the stop cock 31. This preferred arrangement has the important advantage that when the stop cock 78 is in the closed position, it closes off the fiow of both the liquid and air, making the gauge independent of any differential pressure between the inside of the drum and the outside. Also, the air tube 33 is drained of liquid leaving all the liquid confined behind the stop cock. This prevents any accidental spilling of liquid from the tube when the apparatus is not in use.

In each embodiment illustrated above, therate of flow can be made independent of the length of the outlet tube, such as the tube 61 or the tubes 76, by providing a small aperture 79 (see Fig. 3) through the flanged portion 51. In the case of the manifold arrangement shown in Fig. 6, the apertures are provided in the corresponding flanged portions of each outlet tube 76 held by the coupling nuts 77.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. Apparatus for discharging liquid from a hermetically sealed tank at a constant rate of flow comprising a tubular conduit connected at one end to the tank in communication with the liquid contents thereof, a calibrated outlet orifice at the other end of the conduit, a stop cock in said conduit between the ends thereof, an air tube supported by the conduit exteriorly of the tank, said tube having one end thereof in a position above the top of the tank, and the other end communicating with the interior of said conduit, and a vertical standpipe having one end connected to the conduit and the other projecting to a point above the tank for refilling the tank with liquid, said standpipe having a removable closure cap on the top thereof.

2. Apparatus for discharging liquid from a hermetically sealed tank at a constant rate of flow comprising a tubular conduit connected at one end to the tank in communication with the liquid contents thereof, a calibrated outlet orifice at the other end of the conduit, a stop cock in said conduit between the ends thereof, an air tube supported by the conduit exteriorly of the tank, said tube having one end thereof in a position above the top of the tank, and the other end communicating with the interior or said conduit at a point between the stop cock and the first-mentioned end of the conduit, and a vertical standpipe having one end connected to the conduit and the other end projecting to a point above the tank for refilling the tank with liquid, said standpipe having a removable closure cap on the top thereof.

3. Apparatus for discharging liquid from a hermetically sealed tank at a constant rate of fiow comprising a tubular conduit connected at one end to the tank in communication with the contents thereof, a calibrated outlet orifice at the other end of the conduit, a stop cock in said conduit between the ends thereof, an air tube supported by the conduit exteriorly of the tank, said tube having one end thereof in a position above the top of the tank and the other end communicating with the interior of said conduit at a point between the tank and the stop cock, and a vertical standpipe having one end connected to the conduit and the other end projecting to a point above the tank for refilling the tank with liquid, said standpipe having a removable closure cap on the top thereof.

4. Apparatus as defined by claim 1 having a screen filter in the conduit in advance of the orifice.

municating with the interior of said conduit, and a vertical standpipe having one end connected to the conduit and the other end projecting to a point above the tank for refilling the tank with liquid, said standpipe having 5. Apparatus as defined by claim 1 having a liquid 5 a removable closure cap on the top thereof.

level gauge connected to the tubular conduit, and means for communicating the upper end of the gauge With the interior of the tank above the liquid level thereof.

6. Apparatus for discharging liquid from a hermetically sealed tank into a plurality of streams with a constant rate of flow for each stream, said apparatus comprising a tubular conduit connected at one end to the tank in communication with the contents thereof, a manifold having an inlet connected to the other end of the conduit and a plurality of outlets, a calibrated orifice in each of said manifold outlets, a stop cock in said conduit between the ends thereof, an air vent tube having one end thereof supported in a position above the top of the tank and the other end connected to and com- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

